Hey everyone!

I am back with another blog. We have been in Antigua, Guatemala, for a month now—time here has flown by. It’s interesting, looking back at each country on this trip, how different life has looked. In Albania, we lived in a church with pastors. In Italy, we lived in host homes, and during Christmas, we moved through lots of Airbnbs and hostels. In Mexico, we lived in an orphanage. Here in Guatemala, we are living in two separate houses about a twenty-minute walk from each other.

My house is all girls! There are 13 of us in total—12 students plus our leader, Amanda. We live in the city, so walking to the ministry, coffee shops, or church is super convenient. My group is so blessed to spend time in Antigua and round out our mission in Guatemala.

Ministry

During our first week in Antigua, our leaders asked us to pray about which ministry we should join. There were a few options with different kinds of ministry. I felt that God wanted me to be a part of a ministry called Antigua House of Prayer.

I have a fascinating backstory that I'd like to share with you all. During our very first week of Journey School at training camp in Albania, something awesome happened. Seth Barnes was there and had friends from Guatemala in the area. They came to join us in worship one day. We had hosted worship several times earlier in the week, but when this group worshiped with us, I felt the Spirit of God so strongly in the room. I had no idea who they were—I just knew they carried the presence of God. I had an amazing encounter with the Lord during worship, and afterward, I went to talk with them. Come to find out, they were part of something called the House of Prayer in Antigua, Guatemala. The memory of their joy and presence has stayed with me throughout the entire trip.

Antigua House of Prayer

When I saw that Antigua House of Prayer was an option for ministry, I immediately wanted to say yes—but first, I prayed, asking God if it was His will and plan for me to be a part of AHOP. Indeed, it was!

On our first day of ministry, we walked into Serve Hope, a Christian coffee shop where Antigua House of Prayer runs. We met our ministry host, Isaac, who goes by Chaco. He led us into the prayer room within the coffee shop. As soon as we entered, my team and I could feel the presence of the Lord. We had no information yet on what House of Prayer was, but we already knew God was working in mighty ways in that room.

The prayer room is a white space with high ceilings and tile floors. There is a wooden map of the world on one side of the room, and black chairs set up inside. In one corner, there is an area with mics, speakers, a cajon, a guitar, and the best part—a keyboard!

I am not even kidding when I say I nearly burst into tears when I saw that piano. During Christmas time, I prayed that the Lord would provide my team with a piano. At home, I love to process and rest by worshiping at the piano in our house, and my heart has missed that. Now, through God’s grace and perfect plan, I am part of a ministry that centers around prayer and worship. God is so good.

Throughout the week, we minister in many ways. We partner with and lead in House of Prayer sets, do house visits in the villages around Antigua, and bring joy to an orphanage through service projects, worship, skits, and play. We evangelize in the city streets and work with so many incredible people.

Equipping

My favorite part of our ministry is the equipping. We don’t just go into the streets and evangelize—first, we spend time in prayer and learning so that we are equipped to do the good works. We spend time individually and corporately praying before going out for house visits. Our ministry hosts have shown us what it looks like to live a life of prayer. House of Prayer has equipped us to do ministry well—not just to complete tasks or check boxes, but to truly further the Kingdom of God.

It’s hard to find time to write blogs in this season, but I’ll try my best in these last few weeks. There are so many stories I want to share about what the Lord has been doing. He has been teaching me and leading me into abundant growth.

This past month, I have felt convicted and had to repent. I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God daily, and yet His grace is sufficient. I have regretted decisions, and still the Lord is good. I have prioritized the gifts God has given me over intimacy with Him, and yet He still chooses me. I have walked in pride and performance, and He has graciously humbled me. I am learning that conviction is a gift—and even failure is too—because it leads me into deeper reliance on the Father.

Holy Week

All of this is just a glimpse of what the Lord is doing in Guatemala. As you all know, it is Holy Week. In Antigua, there is a huge celebration by the Catholic Church. There are estimated to be over 500,000 people in the city this weekend. Today is Good Friday. In my next blog, I want to dive into how Guatemalan culture celebrates Holy Week. It is interesting and beautiful, but for now, I encourage you to take time to remember Jesus’ sacrifice. Remember that we are broken and repeatedly sin against God, and yet Jesus loves us. Let the Lord convict you so that you can rely more deeply on Him and His goodness. And look forward to the beautiful promise of Jesus’ resurrection—He is coming back, and we will get to celebrate.

Until next time :)